Wakonse is a word from the Lakota Indian language meaning to teach, to inspire. The Wakonse Foundation brings together people who find inspiring and influencing others is what they do for a living. We create a climate where it is important and appropriate to display and discuss teaching talents . . . where colleagues learn about themselves as teachers . . . where they see and consider the tasks and issues of creative teaching in a manner characterized as enjoyable. . . where providing feedback to one another is a norm and where that feedback is outside of any institutional mandate to improve or to evaluate teaching. Participants become Wakonse Fellows. That means, in the simplest of terms, to support, promote and share the excitement and satisfaction of teaching - to inspire others and ourselves.
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Your Role
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Identify faculty on your campus known for good teaching or those wanting to improve their teaching.
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Solicit nominations from the chancellor, deans or department chairs.
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Choose a diverse team - different as to disciplines, ages, stages of careers, ethnicity, gender, etc.
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Send them as a team to a Wakonse Conference on College Teaching.
Our Role
- Identify the talents and concerns of the participants.
- Make everyone a participant: presenter, master teacher, reactant, writer, consultant, discussion leader, musician, photographer, entertainer, role model.
- Make teaching the focus of the program. Explore it, model it, practice it, critique it, promote it, refine it.
Outcome
- A more supportive campus climate for those concerned with teaching.
- A collaborative exchange of talent, ideas and resources within and among participating institutions.
- Increased concern for the general issues of the academy.
- Renewed interest, support and understanding for what is means to be a college teacher.
- Better teaching!
Participants at Wakonse Conferences on College Teaching return to their campuses to share and promote the excitement of teaching.
A fellows program can help a campus focus and enhance its teaching mission. Here are what some conference participants have said:
"I found myself getting excited about teaching again . . . it bordered on a paradigm shift about the entire educational process for me."
"I cannot think of a more positive professional experience I have had since beginning my academic career. . ."
Contact by E-mail: career@missouri.edu